Cincinnati Reds, Los Angeles Dodgers Series Preview

After beating the Detroit Tigers in a make-up game last night, the Cincinnati Reds have now snapped their nine-game losing streak (the Reds record for longest losing streak is 19 games in 1914, if you’re interested), but are still in sole position of last place in the NL Central (52-71). The good news is that the Los Angeles Dodgers aren’t playing much better right now. The Dodgers were no hit by Mike Fiers on Friday and are on a five-game losing streak after getting swept by the Oakland Athletics and the Houston Astros.

The Reds and Dodgers will be facing off for the second time this year, with Cincinnati looking to get some retribution for the first series, when the Dodgers won three of four games against the Reds in Los Angeles. This second series against the Dodgers will feature three pitching rematches from the first series, with the exception being Keyvius Sampson against Mat Latos from game 1 of the first series. Since then, the Dodgers have announced that they will move Latos to the bullpen, so it is possible the Reds will see him again in this series.

Game 1
8/25 7:10 p.m. EST
LAD: Alex Wood (8-8, 3.79)
CIN: John Lamb (0-1, 6.35)

The Reds faced Wood in the first series and will again be sending Lamb to the mound against him. Wood took the win and Lamb took the loss in their first match when Wood went 6 1/3 innings and gave up three runs and Lamb went 6 innings and gave up five runs in his major league debut. Lamb pitched a little better in his next outing against the Diamondbacks, going 5 1/3 innings and surrendering three runs. Dodgers that Lamb struggled against in his first outing include Enrique Hernandez, Jimmy Rollins and Justin Turner, who all went 2-for-3 against him. The only Reds to get a hit off Wood are Brandon Phillips (1-for-4), Eugenio Suarez (1-for-1) and Joey Votto (2-for-4, with a double and a home run).

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Game 2
8/26 7:10 p.m. EST
LAD: Brett Anderson (7-8, 3.52)
CIN: David Holmberg (1-3, 6.57)

Game two will again see Anderson facing Holmberg. In their first meeting, Anderson pitched six innings, gave up three runs and earned a win over Holmberg, who had a disastrous outing in L.A. where he only pitched two innings. Holmberg went deeper into the game in his next start, but still allowed five runs in five innings against the Diamondbacks and earned his third loss in a row. The Dodgers have batted .500/.643/1.40 against Holmberg, and every Dodger that got an official at-bat against Holmberg got a hit, except Joc Pederson. But the Reds have hit well off Anderson, with a combined .308 batting average, and a .879 OPS. Brayan Pena has the most hits off Anderson, with three, including a double and two RBIs. Votto has also done well against the lefty, and has gone 2-for-3 with a double and an RBI.

Game 3
8/27 12:35 p.m. EST
LAD: Zack Greinke (13-3, 1.67)
CIN: Anthony DeSclafani (7-9, 3.97)

The Reds may be glad that they will not have to face the 2014 NL Cy Young and NL MVP Clayton Kershaw, but they will again be facing a leading 2015 NL Cy Young candidate in Zack Greinke. Greinke was absolutely dealing against the Reds the last time he faced Cincinnati, pitching seven innings, allowing one run and striking out eight. But the Reds seem to have the perfect Greinke-killer in Votto, who has owned Greinke by going 12-for-27 with our doubles and three home runs. Former Dodger Skip Schumaker also has some success against Greinke, with seven hits in 25 at-bats. DeSclafani will take the mound for the Reds in game three and pitched well against the Dodgers when he faced off with Greinke. DeSclafani went six innings and only gave up two runs while striking out six. His last outing against the Diamondbacks wasn’t as good. DeSclafani struggled in that game and gave up six runs off of 10 hits in five innings, but will look to rebound and again pitch well against the Dodgers to wrap up the series.

Next: Where will Eugenio Suarez play in 2016?

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